


White washed

by sassyericawithaflowercrown



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Confusion, Denial, Drug Use, Gen, Talk of Mental Disorders, drug use in the form of medication, drug use in the form of sedation, psych ward au, psychiatric hospital, shaming of people with mental disorders
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-08-15
Updated: 2013-08-25
Packaged: 2017-12-23 15:13:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,228
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/927992
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sassyericawithaflowercrown/pseuds/sassyericawithaflowercrown
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Waking up in a hospital shouldn't have been surprising. Hell, it happened when you hung around a pack of werewolves and lived in Beacon (beacon for supernatural shit) Hills. </p><p>The surprising part was it wasn't a burn ward or the intensive care unit Stiles woke up in. It was a psych ward. A psych ward that claimed he'd been a patient for almost two years.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue: Waking up

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is based off of a gifset by [CMTilney](http://cmtilney.tumblr.com/) (which can be viewed [here](http://cmtilney.tumblr.com/post/58254228946/stiles-awakens-in-a-psychiatric-hospital-is-it)). 
> 
> Not so much in this chapter (the intro/prologue) but later on the rating may go up for violence or other things. There will be references to suicide, eating disorders, panic attacks and other things related to mental illness and hospitalization. I'll leave trigger warnings in the beginning notes of each chapter to what specifically to watch out for. But you have been warned. This isn't going to be an easy ride. Ratings and tags will be updated as the story progresses 
> 
> Many thanks to my awesome beta [Jesserfly](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Jesserfly/profile) and to [CMTilney](http://cmtilney.tumblr.com/) for the gifset idea.

He woke up suddenly, gasping with wide eyes as he desperately tried to pull air into his lungs. His whole body ached like it had been crushed and the sudden movement reminded him of a migraine. Fingers curled into the sheets below him, clawing the white fabric while his hands formed tight fists.

But…

That wasn’t right.

When he went under it was during a fight… Or well he was witnessing a fight.

The alpha pack had cornered them in a desperate attempt to get them out of the way in one go, before going after Jennifer. Then the fore mentioned bitch had shown her scarred face and… what happened next?

Did he get hurt?

Was this a hospital?

That would explain a lot… It was always the human that ended up in the hospital bed. Not that Stiles resented the pack(s? Maybe, he wasn’t even sure where to say Scott’s loyalty lay) for it. But it would be easier— and cheaper for his dad—if he could just super wolf heal everything better.

His dad!

His dad knew now. The sheriff knew.

Well at least Stiles could take solace in the fact he had told him before—- before he was kidnapped by some psycho bitch. Yeah, there was an upside.

And they had gotten the parents out. It was hard. Dunked under ice water and held down firmly… but they were okay.

And now Stiles was in the hospital?

Yeah he’d count that as a win, all things considered. Even if he couldn’t remember how the stupid battle went down.

Dropping back against the stiff twin size mattress (and craving his own) Stiles let out a sigh, closing his eyes and placing his hands on his chest. He moved them down his torso, doing a quick body overview, making sure everything was in place and in one piece. Every inch of skin was tender, his whole body sore from whatever bruises might be already forming.  He noticed there was no IV either. No random machines beeping in the background. Nothing that suggested he couldn’t move out of the bed. It was a small victory but it would do. He could sneak out of the room and investigate. Maybe even get himself discharged since he seemed to be fine. Ya’ know-- Minus the pounding migraine.

Hastily jumping out of bed seemed to be a mistake however. He was up and on his feet quickly but the room spun around him, threatening to knock him back onto the mattress or the even on to the floor.

“Crap crap crap.” He grabbed his head, holding tight and squeezing his eyes shut against the pain and vertigo. His other hand wandered out, trying to find something to some surface. Finally he found purchase against a dresser, clawing against the wood and waiting for the world to stop spinning.

“Mr. Stilinski.”

Stiles jumped at the sound, turning his head quickly and …yeah he was losing his balance now, slipping on the cold tile floor and crumpling from the disorientation and quick movements.

The doctor lunged forward, attempted to steady him before he fell completely, but his knees collided with the tile and he threw his hands out in front of him to prevent himself from going further. A wave of sickness crashed into him and for a moment he thought he may throw up right then and there. But a warm hand was on his back, a comforting touch, and he looked up.

“Are you okay?”

Stiles nodded at the unfamiliar face, sitting back on his heels and resting his head against the edge of the mattress. “Yeah just…” He swallowed hard, forcing back the acidic taste ebbing up his throat. “Just got up too fast.”

“It happens.” The tone sounded like he was reassuring a child, and Stiles tried not to feel annoyed by it. “Just take a few deep breaths.”

He did as he was told, using a method of controlled breathing he’d learned back when his panic attacks were bad. Breathe in for three, hold for three, out for three. The doctor seemed contented by his actions and removed his hand, straightening up again.

“Good.” He started while keeping a watchful eye on Stiles. “Now, Mr. Stilinski, do you remember me?”

He blinked up at the doctor, pulling himself onto the bed. The man didn’t look familiar but assuming they had met meant he’d been conscious for a least part of his admission. Maybe he’d been in the hospital for a few days… Could it have been longer? He had no real injuries, so had he been in long enough to heal? That could have meant weeks. He didn’t remember anything. Had he been unconscious? Memory loss? What about everyone else? Were they worse? Alpha injuries were harder to heal from. And then there was Krueger-Faced Blake. Who knew what she had up her sleeve.

Panic was bubbling back up, causing his eyes to widen.

“Mr. Sti-“

“I gotta go.” His voice was quiet but full of desperation. “Now. I gotta go now!” Stiles was already half way up, stopping only to balance himself out. “Where’s my stuff. I’m fine. I just need to sign some papers and go right?”

The doctor was regarding him with a look of pity.

“You can’t check yourself out.”

“And why the hell not? I’m fine. No injuries that can’t be fixed with some aspirin and a band aid. I’ve got shit to do. School, homework,” Saving a pack of werewolves from their crazy English teacher and blood thirsty alphas, along with other things. “Fine. Call my dad. He’ll tell you it’s fine.” Stiles wasn’t completely sure that was true. His dad would probably frown and tell him to stay put. But now the sheriff knew the truth. He’d understand why Stiles needed to go check on his friends. Check on his pa-

“You need to stay.”

“For what? Like an overnight observation? Fine. At least let me make a phone call.”

The doctor gave him a confused look. “No. You need to stay until you’re discharged.”

“When is that going to be?!” His voice was rising. “Let me call my dad!”

“You should know by now Tuesday isn’t your phone call day. You’ve been here almost two years, Stiles.”

And that was all he heard.

The doctor’s voice became a far off buzzing in his head.

Almost two years?!

“But…bu-“

He couldn’t focus on his breathing. Hell, he couldn’t breathe at all. The room was spinning, the wind knocked right out of him. Miles away the doctor was calling out to him.

Stiles couldn’t register it.

He hit the ground.


	2. Chapter one: All talk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Waking up in the hospital for the second time went a little smoother. Well, smoother in the sense that there were no head to floor collisions. That was always a positive. But as far as every other aspect? There was less ‘good morning day’ and more ‘what the fuck is going on?’._
> 
> Stiles is still in the hospital which means whatever crazy nonsense this is isn't a dream. But it's still insane. Not just because he's on a psych ward. Still he's determined to get some information out of someone. Find out why he's here. Even if 'the truth' they give him isn't what he wants to hear. At least he runs into a familiar face, right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In this chapter there is drug use in the form of patients being sedated and threats of sedation. Also some rude nurses who say rude things about people with mental disorders.

Waking up in the hospital for the second time went a little smoother. Well, smoother in the sense that there were no head to floor collisions. That was always a positive. But as far as every other aspect? There was less ‘good morning day’ and more ‘what the fuck is going on?’.

By noon Stiles had been steered towards his therapist’s office (one of four on the unit but apparently the same one he’d been seeing his entire stay) and told to sit in one of the plush chairs by the desk. He did as instructed, shooting one last agitated glance towards the nurse who escorted him before she shut the door. Weren’t nurses supposed to be sunshine and rainbows with a side of badass? Maybe he was just biased because of Ms. McCall.

That thought struck up a whole other stream of worries. If he was here, then where was Scott? And Derek? And Lydia, Isaac, Cora and everyone else? What had happened to their parents? Did they stop the guardian sacrifice according to plan?!

“Good afternoon, Mr. Stilinski. I hear you’ve had a rough morning,”

Stiles looked up as a female doctor entered the room. She was a petite woman, but Stiles had learned to never underestimate girls. For all he knew she could kick ass in restraints.

Still he raised a brow and spoke in a short tone. “It was interesting, alright.” What was he supposed to say? That it was all complete insanity that he was here? Well maybe that could work. He bit his lip, muttering before he could stop himself. “I’m not crazy.”

The doctor sat down in her desk chair, hardly acknowledging Stiles as she booted up her computer. The two sat in silence for a few moments and Stiles debated trying again, but instead she spoke first.

“No one thinks you’re crazy, Stiles.” She sighed, turning to face him as she spoke. Her expression was almost pitiful and caused him to scowl in response.

“Then why am I here?”

Her expression read as ‘Really Stiles?’ but what was originally just a snarky reply gave him an idea. Stiles sat up a little straighter in the chair, gripping the armrest and trying not to tap his finger tips with the excess energy racing through him.

“Seriously, I want to know. Why am I here?” She raised an eyebrow at him. “Explain it to me.”

It took some back and forth but eventually he got the doctor—Dr. Lawson—to spill what she knew, but only after he convinced her he wasn’t ‘playing childish games to delay their session’. And as she explained the last few months, Stiles deflated under her words.

Maybe not knowing was better.

According to records, after his mother’s death he’d developed an anxiety disorder causing frequent panic attacks. As he grew older (and more medicated) they became more controlled and less frequent. It wasn’t until his sophomore year that he had experienced his quote unquote break from reality (She had stumbled around the phrasing ‘psychotic break’ but Stiles could almost hear it behind her actual words). It had started with the animal deaths, and stumbling upon Laura Hale’s body in the woods seemed to be the final trigger.

He’d been admitted for his own safety (the ‘and the safety of others’ was pretty much implied) and since then had been creating fantasies of werewolves and the supernatural to escape reality.

“You’re wrong.”

“Pardon me?”

“You’re wrong,” Stiles got to his feet. “You’re all wrong! I know it was real. I have the scars to prove it. It was real!” He tugged up the fabric of his tee-shirt and showed the doctor. There were a few scars—nothing too crazy, bruises faded over time—but they were there. The doctor frowned at him.

“Self-inflicted.” She explained.

“What?”

“When you were admitted, we took catalog of your scars. They’re self-inflected. You did the-“

“No.” He spat out the word with venom, letting the shirt fall and crossing his arms over his chest defensively. “I wouldn’t ever do that. I would never do that to my dad!”

“Stiles,” She was getting to her feet too now and Stiles took a step back in response. “You need to calm down.”

“Calm down!?” He sputtered, eyes bulging with indignation. “How can I calm down when you’re lying to me?! Who put you up to this?!”

“Mr. Stilinski,”

“NO!”

“Calm down or I will have you sedated.” Her voice was calm when she spoke, but Dr. Lawson suddenly looked cold. The stern expression cut through any argument Stiles could offer. “Are we clear?”

“Crystal.”  He shot back with equal poison in his voice. The two stared at each other for a few moments longer before finally stepping apart. “Can I go?”

“Yes.” Dr. Lawson pulled her chair out and sat down again, picking up a pen and not looking at Stiles. He hesitated for a moment. “We’ve gone over group hour.” She added, pointing with her pen towards the door. “You can go to the day room or back to your room.”

It was a clear dismissal and Stiles couldn’t get out fast enough.

-x-

He couldn’t put enough space between himself and Lawson fast enough.  The woman’s voice echoed in his head and he couldn’t force the lies from his mind. They had to be lies. There was no way he made up all of it. Scott getting bitten, Peter killing those people, Jackson being a lizard controlled by freaky Allison-stalking Matt—there was no way he made it up. It was all so vivid in his head. He had each and every memory. It had to be real.

 This was the lie.

White walled hallways coated in the smell of bleach cleaner, hollow lost looking faces, bored looking orderlies and an eerie sort of calm. This had to be the fake. This wasn’t real.

It couldn’t be.

He was shaken from his thoughts with a familiar sight. God he’d recognize those strawberry blonde anywhere. A smile grew on his face. There was no way was Lydia Martin was here. She was just the shock he needed.

 Of course it was fake! He wasn’t crazy. And Lydia wasn’t either.

“Hey! Lydia!” He sped up, taking off down the hallway after the girl. She didn’t seem to hear him calling by the way she continued on, not bothering to look back. Stiles rolled his eyes and grabbed for her arm, fingers just closing in the sleeve of her sweater.

She went rigid.

“Lydia I was calling yo-“

“Do I know you?” Lydia turned quickly on her heel, facing him and snatching her arm back with a venomous look. Stiles held his hands up defensively, looking confused. She merely raised an eyebrow. “Well? Do I?”

Stiles blinked. “Yes! Yes you do! Lydia, come off it,” He said, trying to keep his voice light and steady.

“That was more of a rhetorical question,” She flipped her hair over her shoulder and turned to leave again. “I have no idea who you are. So go away now.”

“What the hell, Lydia?” He jogged a bit to catch up as she took off back down the hall, hopping in front of her to block her path. She stopped, staring daggers at him. “Lydia this is bullshit.”

“No,” She frowned. “What’s bullshit is that you keep getting in my way.”

“It’s me, Lydia.” He tried, attempting to keep the desperation from his voice. “Stiles.”

“What the hell is a Stiles?” Lydia asked before rolling her eyes. “Look just move already, psycho-“

Okay, maybe grabbing a confused Lydia by the shoulders was a bad idea.

“Lydia, come on.”

“You have three seconds to let go of me before I scream.” Her eyes were dark and her expression something almost scary. Stiles’ instinct told him to let go but he didn’t listen. He had to know. Had to make sure Lydia knew;  none of this was real.

“Lydia…”

She didn’t count. Her eyes narrowed a bit more before she opened her mouth and screamed.

Stiles fell back on to the tile ground in an attempt to get away from her, slamming his hands over his ears as she shrieked. Within seconds two larger male nurses appeared, one grabbing Stiles and dragging him up to his feet and the other attempting to console the girl.

But she didn’t stop.

Lydia kept yelling and screaming like she was under attack. It was terrifying to listen to and Stiles wanted nothing more than to make her stop. But he’d been the reason she started. The reason she was now thrashing against the man’s hands on her shoulders.

Guilt weighed down on him and he wanted to curl into himself.

“I… I didn’t mean to…”

Sudden Lydia got quiet. It was almost like the flick of a switch, surprise etched into green eyes as she looked around, lips still parted like she would scream again. Instead the male nurse was straightening from behind her, his arms held out slightly as the girl swayed. Her eyes flicked over to Stiles, hovering there with vague recognition before closing finally.

And she fell.

“Mr. Stilinski,”

“What’d you do to her!?” He was back on his feet, fighting the grip on his arm. “What did you do?!”

“She had to be seda-“

“She’s not a fucking dog! She didn’t need to be put down. Shit! Lydia! Wake up! LYDI-a…”

There was a small pinch towards the back of his neck.

Suddenly Stiles didn’t feel like fighting. He was tired, his whole body heavy like he’d been on the lacrosse field all day. His vision swam.

“Get them both back to their rooms.”

“No…” The word slurred as his legs gave out from under him.

“Inform Dr. Lawson of this. He needs to be on peer restriction.”

“These poor kids. It’s a shame, isn’t it?”

“Don’t let it get to you. They’re all nuts.”

Stiles wanted to protest. Instead he fell limp in the nurse’s arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright thanks again for reading guys. Originally there was going to be more to this chapter but my beta pointed out that it could stand alone as is. So next chapter we'll be introducing a lot more characters into the story along with furthering the plot. Hope you've enjoyed it so far and thanks again to my beta [Jess](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Jesserfly/profile). You can also find me [here](http://mi5heep.tumblr.com/) on tumblr. But it's two am. So night guys. Hope you enjoyed the chapter.


	3. Group

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OMFG GUYS SORRY THIS TOOK SO LONG. I really had meant this chapter to go up after 3x12 but work decided to actual schedule pretty hardcore. I don't know August is weird with retail. Time constraints. So hopefully this slightly longer chapter makes up for the wait. The next chapter will hopefully be out soon since I already have it planned and in the works. Again sorry for the wait.
> 
> On an unrelated note (though I guess related) there probably will be some shipping later on in this fic of the Sterek variety. :U Haven't decided for sure how much there will be or if it'll just be implied. But that will be later on my friends. For now have another odd meeting, group therapy, and discovery of something strange.

Peer restriction sucked.

That went without saying.

Everyone in the place probably hated it. Sitting in a small room alone and not being allowed to leave. Not having anyone to talk to but the nurse stationed outside your door. Even that was starting to become a bit of an issue. After hours of playing go fish with an incomplete card deck, the second shift nurse (who Stiles had taken to calling Joe since he couldn’t pronounce the man’s name) was getting tired of Stiles’ rambling.

“One more game, Joe. Come on. I’m bored.”

Stiles wasn’t just bored though, he was growing anxious.

He needed to get out of the room so he could do more investigating. He needed to find Lydia and assure her that he wasn’t just some stranger trying to freak her out. Assure her that they were friends. Friends that swapped spit one glorious time, but still friends! He had to find the others. He had to get out.

Which meant playing nice. For now. Stiles was a quick learner. He wasn’t going to make things worse for himself.

“No Stiles. Eat your dinner.” The nurse pointed towards the tray left abandoned on the floor by the door way. Stiles glanced at it with a disgusted look.

“As appealing as hospital food sounds, I’m going to have to pass.” He leaned back, propping himself up on his hands and glanced back to Joe. “I think there was a hair in my jell-o.”

Joe rolled his eyes and looked back down the hallway.

“Look man,” Stiles sighed, pushing himself up on his feet. “We’re both bored. Lights out was like twenty minutes ago. Can I get a book or something? Aren’t there some magazines in the day room? There’s got to be something.”

The nurse looked at Stiles, then down the hall and back again before sighing. “We can go until midnight.”

Stiles looked up like an excited puppy. “What time is it now?”

“Eleven twenty five.”

“That’s not long at all!” He whined but he was already on his feet, bouncing up and down a bit on the tile floor. The nurse sighed like Stiles was a five year old he was tired of babysitting.

“You can watch a T.V. show or something. Then we can get you a PRN if you’re still jittery.”

He’d learned from their first talk (argument) that a PRN was a mild sedative in pill form, for when they needed the kids to calm down. Stiles frowned. He didn’t want to be medicated at all while he was here. He wouldn’t be able to focus if he was drugged up with whatever cocktail they had prescribed him. The night cap they’d brought around, Stiles had shoved to the back of his mouth, and spit out in a napkin, tucking them away in the back of his drawer.

“Alright, midnight it is.” Stiles grinned as the older man began to lead him down the hall. “Midnight is actually perfect.”

“Just don’t tell Dr. Lawson,” Joe warned.

“Your secret is safe with me. Rebel against the machine and all that jazz.”

The discussion was ended with one final shake of the head from Joe who muttered something that sounded an awful lot like ‘the things I put up with’.

As they got closer to the day room Stiles could hear the faint murmurs of a conversation. Both froze for a moment before turning the final corner. How much trouble could Joe actually get in for letting Stiles sneak around? No, Stiles would probably be the one in trouble… But how much? Would they extend his restrictions? Then it would take him even longer to gather information. Maybe if they ran back towards the rooms now.

“Anna.” Joe seemed to relax, greeting the female nurse with a wide grin. The woman looked up from her crossword puzzle and grinned.

“Taking your ward out for a little walk, huh?” She clicked her tongue before looking back at the paper in front of her. “Shame on you,”

“You’re one to talk, Anna.”

The two nurses laughed and Stiles looked between them. Were they flirting? Really? In a psych ward… Stiles shook his head, resisting the urge to laugh at the way Joe’s face had colored slightly as he watched the woman chew on the end of her pen. Then something hit him.

She was breaking the rules too.

Who was she letting out?

His eyes darted around the room, stopping quickly at the set of plush chairs laid out by the T.V. Stiles’ heart seemed to jump in his chest.

The man sitting on one was couches had his back to the room, eyes on the documentary on the screen. Still the edge of a tattoo stuck out from under the collar of his baggy sleep shirt. Stiles almost launched himself at the couch.

“Derek!”

Everyone in the room turned quickly, Joe stepping forward suddenly looking ready to break up a fight and Anna getting up from her chair.

The man merely looked over his shoulder, glanced over Stiles with a look of annoyance and looked back to the screen.

Everyone seemed to relax.

Except for Stiles.

The look was haunting. His eyes were blank when he looked at Stiles; no sense of recognition, no hint of the small smiles they’d grown towards, not even a growl. He had looked at Stiles like he was nothing more than annoying bug on the wall.

His heart sank to his feet.

Joe and Anna began chatting at the other side of the room, no longer minding the two patients and probably assuming they wouldn’t hurt each other. Stiles finally forced himself to move, eyes glued to Derek as he walked closer and sat in an arm chair next to him. He fidgeted in his chair, pulling his legs up and setting them back down.

Derek was here. Lydia was here. He was here!

Who else?

Had they all gotten dragged into this madness?

What was going on?

“Could you stop staring? It’s annoying.” Derek’s voice was a low growl, only loud enough for Stiles to hear.

“It’s just… I didn’t peg you for an Animal Planet kind of guy,” His reply was nervous. He knew that voice. He knew that growl. Did Derek know who he was after all?

“You don’t know anything about me. I don’t even know who you are.”

No. Derek didn’t know him.

It wasn’t actually surprising. Lydia hadn’t known him either. Still, hearing him say it, that final crushing conformation, it stung. He looked back to the screen, trying to keep the disappointment from his face. A few wolves wandered around in the snow while the narrator drawled on in the background.

“Wait…” He froze, the small family of wolves reminding him of something. “How’s Cora?”

Derek was on him before he could even blink, slamming Stiles down into his seat. It wasn’t exactly effective considering the chair was over stuffed, but Stiles swallowed against the tight grip around his neck.

“I thought we were past the pushing me into things phase?”

Derek hesitated at the words, his eyes flicking with some expression Stiles couldn’t identify for a second, before his gaze went hard again. His eyes were narrowed, red chasing the edges of his irises and his lips curled back into a growl.

“Mr. Hale!” Joe was storming across the room, a hand on Derek’s arm. Derek didn’t budge though, holding Stiles down by his neck and snarling.

“How do you know about Cora? Did you do somethi-“

“DEREK!” Anna’s voice was commanding in a way Stiles wouldn’t have expected from the frail woman. But it was enough for Derek to back down. His grip loosened slightly and giving Stiles one last vicious look before releasing him completely.

Stiles watched in stunned silence as the woman led Derek away. He looked like he was hardly containing his anger, probably doing so only to keep from any more problems and the look he gave Stiles was murderous.

Joe was snapping at him about instigating the other patients but Stiles ignored him. Instead he raised a hand, tentatively brushing his fingers across his now sore throat.

That was going to bruise.

-x-

He had been dragged back to his room by Joe, who gave him one last stern reprimanding about starting fights before telling him it was time to get in bed. Stiles, who was a bit put off by the whole incident, went without a word of protest, curling up under the thin blankets and trying to force sleep.

He had lain there for hours before finally falling asleep, replaying the events over and over. Derek had no recognition of him and if anything, seemed angry to see him, angry to have him speak about Cora. Weren’t they… well sort of friends?

Eventually Stiles had passed out, half falling out of the twin sized bed, only to be woken up what felt like minutes later. First shift was on the floor and was waking the patients at some ungodly hour and Stiles found his bad mood and uncertainty had carried over from the night before, accompanied now with the discomfort of an odd sleeping position.

Accepting his morning dose of Adderall (the only pill he recognized and was willing to take) Stiles sat at one of the tables in dining hall, isolating himself from the rest of the patients. He didn’t bother looking for familiar faces, instead just picked at the edge of his piece of stale toast.

“You should eat. You’ll feel better. Assuming you don’t start anymore fights,” Lydia had appeared out of nowhere when Stiles looked up, sitting across from him at the table and holding an apple in her hand, eyes glued on the bruise on his neck.

 He blinked at her, looking from side to side and checking to make sure she was in fact speaking to him.

“Yes I’m talking to you.”

Stiles frowned, breaking off a piece of toast and rolling it between his fingers. “Why?” It was the only question he could think of, tense and ready for the girl to start screaming once more.

“Because you don’t seem like a psycho.”

“Not what you said before,” He grunted, popping the bread into his mouth.

Food was food, despite the fact it tasted like cardboard.

“Well what do you expect? You grabbed me in a hall way and I have no idea who you are. And consider where we are,” She waved her hand around the dining hall. “What would you think?”

‘ _I would think it was nice to see an old friend in the middle of some freaky nightmare_.’ He thought to himself, trying not to let the bitterness he felt show through on his face. “I’d think it was weird,” Stiles finally sighed out. “So why are you talking to me now?”

“You seem… approachable.” She admitted with a shrugged, as casual as discussing the weather. “I don’t know. I feel like I can talk to you.”

“You can!” Stiles shouted, though was quieted quickly by her look. He fumbled under her expression, sinking into his chair. If anything he didn’t want to scare her off and freak her out. And the look on her face was leaning towards freaked. “I mean. You totally can Lydia. Promise.”

“How did you know-“

“Doctors,” He lied with a shrug, cutting off her question. “You know. Not great with the confidentiality thing…”

“Right,” Lydia took another bite of the apple before setting it down on Stiles tray and getting to her feet. “I’ll keep that in mind. Now eat something so you don’t pass out. I won’t be picking you up. And group is in five minutes.”

With that she took off, abandoning Stiles and the dining hall with a flip of her hair.

-x-

He wasn’t sure what he was expecting when he walked into group. Shit, if Lydia was here then who else could be? Who would be?  Still what- who he saw when he walked into the room was surprising.

Lydia was sitting towards the back of the room, examining her nails and sitting next to Allison. When Stiles caught her eyes, she leaned reflexively towards Lydia and Stiles realized how much she really looked like her aunt. He swallowed. Isaac was seated a few seats away, curled up in his chair and hugging his knees, determined not to make eye contact with anyone in the room. And Scott… Scott was nowhere to be found. Stiles’ heart dropped a bit as he stared at the vacant eyes of his friends along with the rest of the room of strangers. He wanted to scream in frustration.

 “Everyone sit down, please.”

A woman walked into the room, directing her comment at Stiles, who was the only one left standing. He turned his head, searching her for some sense of familiarity. There was none.

She stared at him with an expectant expression and he finally sat in one of the chairs closest to the door. The doctor introduced herself for the apparent new patient, a girl sitting half asleep in her own chair who jumped when addressed. She yawned before giving her own name. A nod of greeting went around the room and she shrugged.

“Alright, are we all here?” There was a murmur of agreement from the group while Stiles shifted uncomfortable in his own seat. “Then let’s get started.  Does anyone have anything they want to share first?”

“I do!” The kid was half out of his seat when he spoke, holding his hand up like some eager school kid. Stiles looked at him with a raised brow. The rest of the group seemed unbothered by his outburst, however. Maybe used to it. Stiles was not. He watched the kid wave his arm hastily. It would have been funny to watch if his eyes didn’t look swollen with terror.

“Alright, Stephen go ahea-“

“I saw it again,” Stephen sat back in his chair with a matter-o-fact smile. He nodded around the group like his words proved whatever point he was trying make. “Some kid’s eyes. They did that freaky glow thing.”

“Stephen we talked about this in our one on one. Don’t agi-“

“He’s so full of shit,” Someone muttered.

“I’m not!” Stephen was back on his feet, jamming his finger into the chest of his accuser. “I saw it. That one guy! His eyes were red!”

Stiles didn’t have to ask. Didn’t have the chance to if he wanted to.

 A nurse was behind Stephen within seconds, pulling him gently away from the other patient and muttering some quiet instruction, while the doctor attempted to move group along. Stiles was too distracted.

Someone else had seen it.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey readers. Thanks for sticking around through the prologue. Right now we're looking at about six chapters (including this one) but that may change as I work towards the end and get ideas. Since I'm writing this before the 3a finale comes out then it's kind of a canon divergence from after 3x12. Please bear with me on time and such. Between writing and working and finding time to get things done with my lovely beta's schedule we'll be doing the best we can. But chapter one should be done sometime tonight or tomorrow and after that updates will be a little more spaced out (by a couple of days at most).
> 
> Also you can find me on tumblr [here](http://ohno-w0lves.tumblr.com/)


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